Lionel Messi has cast serious doubt over his footballing future following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away on August 8 at the age of 68.

The 39-year-old Argentina captain, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, announced on Wednesday via the social media platform X that his playing days may be drawing to a close.

"All I ever did was play football, and now I have serious doubts about whether I'll keep doing it for much longer," Messi wrote. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know how to carry on."

Messi had been forced to cut short his return to Major League Soccer with Inter Miami following his father's death. He returned to the United States on Tuesday night after attending a private funeral ceremony on Sunday in the town of Perez, adjacent to Rosario, attended by close family and a small number of Argentina teammates.

The cause of death was not disclosed, though local media reported that Jorge Messi had been suffering from cancer.

Jorge Messi served not only as his son's father but also as his long-time agent. In his tribute, Messi described the unique role his father played throughout his life and career.

"You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong," he wrote.

Messi's retirement speculation comes in the wake of Argentina's defeat by Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, held in New Jersey in July. The result meant Argentina failed to defend the title won at Qatar 2022, Messi's first World Cup triumph.

In his message, Messi reflected on the final months of his father's life, which coincided with the tournament. Jorge Messi's absence from the World Cup had already drawn significant attention. Messi's family had asked the media for "humanity" during the competition amid persistent reports about Jorge's deteriorating health.

After scoring against Algeria in a group stage match, Messi had broken down in tears and later admitted to dealing with "a situation outside of sports."

In his tribute, Messi revealed that one of his primary motivations for participating in the tournament had been his father's wish.

"You always asked me to play in the last World Cup and a few days before it started was when you got worse," Messi wrote. "It was the first time you weren't going to be at a tournament. Every time a match ended, I would wait and hope for your message. That's when I realised how real the situation was."

Messi also described his hope of winning the tournament as a final gift to his father.

"I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip," he said. "We made it to the final, but you couldn't be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn't, my legs just gave out."

"This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt right," Messi added, in his first public comments since the 1-0 defeat by Spain.

Messi, who rose through the youth ranks at Barcelona before going on to represent the club at the highest level and later joining Paris Saint-Germain, is currently contracted with Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season. Despite that commitment, speculation over a possible retirement had already been circulating following Argentina's World Cup exit.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner closed his tribute with a pledge to honour his father's memory through the upbringing of his own children.